Like everyone else, we appreciate the finer things in life—a good house, a sharp ride etc. But we are not without a sense of humor. Not every ride is sharp, or good. These cars take the cake for horrible design, lack of reliability, and danger. Here’s a look at 10 of the worst cars ever made.
1. Ford Pinto
Where most cars are designed to protect the occupants, the Ford Pinto had other ideas. You see, due to a design failure, a rear impact could cause the fuel filler to come loose and puncture the fuel tank, often times ending in the car being engulfed in flames. If that wasn’t bad enough, Ford allegedly determined that the cost of litigation would be less than fixing the problem. Sorry Pinto drivers.
2. Yugo GV
OK, let’s be honest. No one expected much from the Yugo GV. Making its way to the U.S. via Communist-led Yugoslavia, the GV was designed to be an affordable car for everyone. Thankfully, everyone didn’t buy it though as engines were prone to failure as were electrical systems. And if you did make the unlucky decision to pony up for this sort of VW Golf, you had to pay extra for some carpeting under your feet. We’ll pass.
3. Ford Mustang II
What’s this, a Mustang on this list? It’s true. Although rarely seen now, thankfully, the 2nd generation Mustang shared nothing of the classic styling of the original Mustang. But we really can’t pin all the blame on Ford, as most American cars made from the mid 70s to early 80s… well… sucked. Universally ignored by Mustang enthusiasts, the Mustang II was embraced by people looking to save a few pennies at the pump.
4. Merkur XR4TI
Sold in the U.S. for a scant 4 years, the Merkur was essentially an American spec European Ford Scorpio. The original two level wing was actually viewed as a positive by the automotive press. The curious XR4Ti actually made the Car and Driver Best List in 1986. But Ford couldn’t leave well enough alone, and they replaced the two level spoiler with a single spoiler that actually increased its coefficient of drag. Nice work. Shortly thereafter, Car and Driverremoved the soon to be discontinued Merkur from its 1986 list citing lack of sales.
5. Pontiac Aztek
What can you say about this travesty of an automobile? Sure Walter White drove one for a spell on Breaking Bad, but even then it was a symbol of mediocrity and desperation. But don’t just take our word for it, take a look at any list of worst cars ever and the Aztek will likely be sitting at the number 1 spot.
